Wow..

I can't believe I've only updated this thing twice. Well, what can I say? I've been busy.

There is no doubt that in 6 weeks I will shed a tear when I board an airplane bound for Atlanta. Thus far, I have learned so much about Arab people in general; their political views, their devotion to religion, and their cultural lifestyles. However, I shouldn't limit this to just Arabs. I have also met Basques, Iranians, Japanese, and Italians - so I should probably say that I have learned a lot about people of all backgrounds. Of course, this has been extremely enlightening for me and has given me a chance to consider all arguments when discussing any given topic. But more than anything, it has made me realize that people from Asia to England are similar and not much different than myself. We are all human beings with our own problems, passions, and fears and it has made me realize that stereotyping others is probably the worse thing one can do. Just because some guy lives in China doesn't mean that he is a Communist that worships no God and just because I'm from America doesn't mean I hate all Arabs. It sounds simple enough but people spout the dumbest shit.

I leave for Berlin this weekend! I'm so excited to go see my good friend Theodora and to experience the city of Berlin. We have quite a few things planned, including the Jewish War Museum and visiting the Fuhrers Bunker (where Hitler killed himself), among other things such as much needed beer drinking. There is so much history in this city and even though I'm only going to be there 5 days, I think that I will be able to possibly see more historical sites than I've seen in Dubai, considering the city has only been built up in the last decade. Also, Al Fahidi Fort (the first building ever built in Dubai) wasn't built unti the latter part of the 18th century. Needless to say, I'm excited to go to Berlin, but I really have come to like Dubai despite it not having much of a history and being such a modern city, literally.

I think I have a new found obsession with international foods. I also think Dubai is the best place for me to act on my new found interest. One can get any kind of food imaginable here. I've tasted the cuisine of Iran, The Emirates, Lebanon, India, Mexico, America, France, Spain, and Yemen here- and everything is so convenient. What is especially hilarious is that you can get practically anything delivered - even from the Uni Mart (which is the on campus store - for SVSU folk - the equivalent to the C-Store). For clarification, the Uni Mart is a 2 minute walk from the dorms. I don't know if this is a good or bad things, but it is convenient when I am in my disheveled state with toothpaste all over my black sweatpants for some reason and after a long night on the town with Yasmine and Shadi.

Speaking of Yasmine and Shadi, I am so lucky to have met the people I have here. I swear there is a God because whenever I am in some random position, it seems he is looking after me and is making sure that the people meet are drama free and caring individuals. Anyway, I have made 4 really good friends here, and they are all different. Let me tell you about them. First, my roommate Mira is the best possible person I could have roomed with here in Dubai. She is Egyptian, but has lives in Abu Dhabi. I knew since my first day in Dubai when she took me out to coffee to a place down the street from here that we would be great friends -especially because she's a chain smoker and didn't mind talking politics over coffee. My ideal kind of person. Yasmine was the second person I met here and she is Mira's best friend. Yasmine grew up in Mississippi, but is of Palestinian ancestry. She is a southern belle and I was confused by her accent the first time I met her, but eventually learned where she grew up. It was so cute. Anyway, she moved to Dubai two years ago. Her parents also live here. Yasmine has a carefree, non-worrisome personality, which I adore. An example of her personality is when she actually trusted me to drive her Lexus on the way home from the mall one day. She learned that I wasn't exactly the best driver in Dubai, but nonetheless, let me drive her car twice more. I think she eventually learned her lesson when I went over a speed bump and almost bottomed out her car because she hasn't offered the keys since. She's great. The third girl I met was Chelci. Chelci is from Arizona and attends Northern Arizona University and is also a fellow Clinton scholar. Chelci's personality can be summed up as being happy-go-lucky girl and sort of hippyish' (in a good way). Chelci also has a commendable humanitarian side to her that I adore and am envious of. Chelci and I went to a karaoke bar with Yasmine and I during the beginning of the semester. I honestly thought I may have scared her away - drank one too many beers while karaoking Barbie Girl. Apparently she had a good time and still wants to hang out with me. I hope to see her as much as possible in the states upon return. Finally, I met Shadi. Shadi came to Dubai from Canada and is of Iranian origin. She is the closest to my age and I find that I enjoy this about her - along with her down to earth personality. When I first met Shadi it was in an elevator and I was confused about her accent. She started talking to me out of nowhere and she was so friendly. She had a 'sort of' American accent but I couldn't figure it out. Turns out it was Canadian, who knew? Anyway, we started talking more and eventually went out a couple times. The most memorable moment was when we went out to 360 (a bar in the middle of the water with a great view of the Burj Khalifa, Burj Al Arab, and Jumeriah Beach Resort) and we both needed to be carried in by Yasmine and Mira. Good times.

Okay, hopefully I can update once more before I leave. Wow 4 times, woo.

The rumor is..

that while an individual studies abroad there are a variety of stages the person will go through while on their journey. Stage 1 consists of becoming settled in your new temporary home and the new challenges of getting used to being away from friends and family. Stage 2 consists of finally becoming comfortable in your new residence, and eventually making great friends. Then the individual enters stage 3, when you are beginning to become homesick and missing the comforts of driving, friends, home, wine, boyfriend, home university, and familiarity in itself. It seems the person has been experiencing this all along, but now to a higher degree. Lastly, stage 4 is the stage in which the individual recovers from the homesickness (around the 2 month marker), and becomes fully aware and comfortable, although still missing home all in the same.

(Thanks, Bryn)

I'm in stage 3 as of approximately 2 days ago. I'm becoming pretty homesick and I miss doing whatever I want, whenever I want, and with whomever I want. However, the way in which I will defeat this issue is to simply be myself. This sounds silly, but I've learned from life that dealing with things or people that you don't necessarily like is the only way to grow up. By not being comfortable in one's place, you must deal with it and move on. I'm not saying I dislike Dubai, because it's actually grown on me considerably, although I'm still not into the entire over emphasis on glamour and the rich.

On the upside, I am traveling to Berlin beginning November 15 and I will be returning to Dubai November 20. I will be staying with Theodora, which is a friend I made at SVSU while she was studying abroad for a year. I am extremely excited for this opportunity! I have a small list of places I want to visit, and as all of you know, I HAVE to go to an Aldi!

There are also a number of day trips you can take right here in Dubai. Some of these excursions go as far as Oman and are overnight trips, and some are just the ordinary tours of Dubai itself. I will more than likely be partaking on a few of these in the near future. I haven't even seen the desert up close and personal yet, so I believe it's time for an adventure!

My classes are going great and they seem to be the best part about being here. I already feel as if I've learned 10x the material that I knew before I stepped off of the plane. I'm excited to share my newly acquired knowledge about this place, but I still have so much to learn! Accordingly, you will have to wait for this! :)

30 September 2010

It's almost October! Well, in Dubai October is the hottest day of summer in Michigan, everyday. I'm getting used to the weather; I can go out in a sweater and be fine even if it is 100 degrees. It's kind of weird. Anyway, enough with the weather. Classes are great. My intro to Islam class will absolutely be the most challenging class while I'm here. I'm not sure if it is because the professor is sort of condescending toward us students or that the material itself is pretty difficult; we'll see. Overall, I'm going to learn SO MANY new things in my classes and I will be even more knowledgeable about the Middle East and its history when I return home.

Socially, things are looking up. I seem to be talking to more people in and around campus, which is making things easier to get used to in this foreign land. One thing that is actually better in Dubai is that there is basically no crime, (we can argue about whether the mostly Indian workers getting paid shit and working and living in inhumane conditions as being a crime while Emiratis enjoy luxurious lifestyles) but nonetheless, I can leave my door unlocked without having a guy named Hot Chocolate staring over me in my bedroom (ask Nicole), or having things stolen out of my room. When I think about it anyway, I don't know how many of these people here would steal my shit anyway since every pair of pants I wear includes the word sweat in the title and I don't have any beauty products worth taking (my concealer bottle has a hairspray cap on it). Anyway, I guess that's a perk.

Back to the workers. I'm not sure how I feel about the entire situation except that I've always been for labor unions and workers rights, and there are absolutely no rights for workers here. If you would like, Google "Slumdogs and Millionaires", and that should explain the situation in Dubai. It's hard to look at on a daily basis while I know the fanciest mall in the world that I am strolling through (Dubai Mall) was built by these laborers.

Overall
1. People are nice; people are assholes. It's a lot like American in that respect.
2.The bars are pretty great so far and so are the restaurants.
3. People stare at me when I wear my Communist Party t-shirt.
4. It's hot.
5. My roommate Mira and her friend Yasmine are my best friends here.
6. I'm learning a lot.
7. Workers rights.


I hope that wasn't too boring.

First Week

Well, I've been here for almost an entire week. What have I done?

The first night I arrived my roommate was sleeping. I was a little nervous walking in because I haven't had a roommate since I was 18. However, it turned out wonderful and her name is Mira. She is incredibly smart and hospitable. It's been a good experience thus far, and I hope it stays that way. Anyway, she woke up when I arrived and ended up taking me on a walk to get some coffee and smoke some cigarettes. Most importantly, she showed me where to buy cigarettes. Speaking of smoking, EVERYBODY smokes here. Instead of getting a drunk feeling, people get a 'smoke' feeling? Who knows. I don't mind, smoking gives me a break from studying and sitting in my room for countless hours studying, (which I've been doing a lot of).

I have also been out on the town and visited Jumeriah Road with Mira and her best friend, Yasmine. We drank coffee for endless hours talking and sometimes even simply sitting in silence staring off into the distance with nothing to say at all. I felt at ease.

A couple days ago we also went to the Mall of the Emirates to go grocery shopping, (yes, they have a grocery store in the mall), and later ate french toast at a joint called Paul, (they were in London as well). The malls are unbelievable here. Capitalism at its finest, which was quite uncomfortable as I was dressed in my finest Communist Party t-shirt. Let's just say, I'm glad I went to the mall, but I will probably not go back again.. I didn't exactly fit.

Today is my second day of classes, and this is worth discussing since this is the reason I am here in the first place. Yesterday, I had Cultures of the Middle East and Islamic Civilizations. Islamic Civilizations was very good, but the Cultures class I had the privilege of hearing first hand the stereotypes that Arab Muslims have of Americans. It was sort of awkward, but I feel like I needed to hear them so I know that both Americans and Arab Muslims hold these same negative views of each other. Is there a cure for this? I'm not really sure. You can almost argue that both groups of people are just a product of their environment and a product of the media that informs them of supposed 'facts'. It was sort of ridiculous, but this is a learning experience, right? I had my Introduction to Islam course today, which I am presuming will be my favorite class. The professor is more of an intellectual type and I feel like his class will be the most challenging. However, Islamic studies is what I am the most interested in, so that is probably a factor in the delight thus far as well.

Overall, I have met a few nice people (mostly Americans minus my roommate), and am enjoying my time here. I do miss Pat so much, though. If you are reading this, I love you.

I will be keeping this blog the entire time I am in Dubai, so feel free to check in. Cheers!